The hand on the shoulder was the first sign this wouldn’t be a normal post-game press conference.

The question was simple enough. It was the answer that made this Q&A session something I’ll always remember.

“Who are you going to start in goal tomorrow night?” I asked DU hockey coach Frank Serratore.

It was then that the fiery coach of the Pioneers focused his intimidating gaze on me and put his hand on my shoulder.

“Well, Andy,” Serratore said. “What do you think?”

Here’s the back story.

I was sports editor of the Clarion in my senior year at DU and the Pioneers entered the new campaign with an unknown Finnish goalie, Sinuhe Wallinheimo. The week before the first home series of the season vs. St. Cloud State, I quizzed Serratore about his plan for his goalies.

Serratore told me at a mid-week practice at the old DU Arena that he was pretty firm on rotating his goalies that weekend.

Wallinheimo got the Friday night nod and was a sensation in net for the Pioneers. He was overflowing with personality and the Pioneer faithful loved his on-ice antics. He even spiked the puck after big saves.

Given his performance that night, it seemed fair to quiz the coach to see if he might have a change of heart.

Post-game interviews in those days took place in the players’ lounge attached to the locker room. The handful of media members were watched by a group of hockey boosters who used the lounge as a post-game gathering spot.

Now with the coach’s hand on my shoulder and all eyes in the room on me, I blurted out:

“I would keep Wallinheimo in there, coach.”

Serratore then looked around the room and shouted: “Everybody hear that? Andy says we are going with Wallinheimo tomorrow.”

He then looked back at me and said: “OK, now go in the locker room and tell Chris Burns he isn’t starting.”

Plenty embarrassed at that point, I managed to say with a bright Crimson face: “Um, coach, I think that’s your job.”

“Chicken,” Serratore laughed and the rest of the room joined in.

I tried my best to forget the awkward scene until the next night when I was approached in the press box by the long-time beat writer for the St. Cloud Times.

“If tonight’s game is lousy, I’m writing a feature story about you,” he joked.

He told me that he had been covering college hockey for two decades and had never picked a starting goalie. Here I was, new to the job, and already had it on my resume.

What a way to start my DU sports editor career!